Colorful

Coffee and Kisses

As Roman and Virgil got their coats and bags from the seats they had set them on, Virgil eyed him quietly for a moment. He knew that he had no choice in the soulmate choosing process - that was all done by a part of their brains that linked them together based on who their perfect partner would be - but he had to admire the choice nonetheless.

"Are we taking your car or mine?" Virgil asked as Roman pulled his coat on.

"We can take yours, unless you want to walk," he chuckled in response. "My car is in the shop for a couple days. I've just been walking to and from school this week."

Virgil blinked in shock. It was freezing outside, and Roman was walking? "Why don't you just take the bus instead?"

"James rides the bus," he answered simply, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. Virgil assumed that was the guy who had been beating Roman up - he had never known before then, had only known that Roman got into a bunch of fights, and they all hurt.

"Well..." he began, leading Roman out of the auditorium and towards the parking lot. "We can take my car to the coffee shop, and if you need a ride for the rest of the week to and from school, you could just ask." Roman seemed highly relieved, which was a little concerning, but Virgil decided not to linger on it too much. As the two of them made their way towards Virgil's car, Virgil spoke up again. "If you don't mind my asking... why do you get beat up all the time?"

He shrugged, not quite meeting Virgil's eyes, though it was obvious that he was doing his best to hold onto his bravado that he faced the world with so often and not look anxious. Virgil felt his heart go out to him - he knew how it felt to feel like you had to be brave and strong in front of other people, and he hated that Roman felt that way, too. "Honestly," he started after a moment as they reached the car. "Probably because I'm the openly gay theater boy who doesn't back down from them."

"Oh," he said quietly, leaning back slightly against the hood of his car. "Well, you've got an openly gay emo soulmate to kick their ass now," he finished with a small smile, gently bumping his shoulder against Roman's.

Roman looked to him with surprise, his brows raising slightly. His gaze flickered down over Virgil's frame in a way that had his cheeks flushing red again. He knew that he didn't look very strong, constantly in the oversized hoodie that hid most of him, and he couldn't help but inwardly chuckle at the skepticism in Roman's gaze. "You're gonna kick James Starkey's ass?"

"Why not?" he replied with a shrug. "It's not like it would hurt to defend you any more than it already does when they beat the shit out of you. And I don't exactly have a reputation to ruin. I might even get one from it." Roman still didn't seem convinced. "I'm a lot stronger than I look," he claimed.

Roman chuckled and leaned forward, resting his hands on the car on either side of Virgil. "He would break your pretty little body in half."

He suppressed a squeak of shock, his face flushing even darker and his heart skipping a beat. He swallowed thickly, his mind going blank but for one thought: And you can destroy me with a single look.

He brought his hands up and rested them on Roman's chest, looking into his eyes, not sure what else to do. He was completely and utterly warm despite the biting air around them. Roman leaned in closer...

Closer...

Virgil was going to explode.

His gaze flickered down to Roman's lips, very much wanting the kiss Roman had been teasing towards all afternoon, but not one to make a move first. His eyes started to flutter shut as he anticipated lips on his...